European Parliament proposes nationally binding renewables targets
The European Union should aim for 35% of renewables in its energy consumption by 2030, with nationally binding targets introduced to support EU goal, European Parliament says.
SoftBank Vision Fund to build 3 GW of solar and storage in Saudi Arabia
The Saudi Electricity Company has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Public Investment Fund and Softbank Vision Fund to create 3 GW of solar and storage capacity in the Kingdom in 2018.
sonnen to invest €80m to install home storage systems to 20,000 homes in Italy
A total of 20,000 sonnen home batteries are to be delivered in Italy by German company sonnen over the next 24 months after an €80 million ($94 million) deal with a newly formed alliance of regional installers.
Indian large-scale solar growth could slow to 5-6 GW next year, finds Bridge to India
The Indian solar market is presently undergoing many challenges, including the GST effects, high module process and decelerating power demand. India’s utility sector is expected to stabilize at a much lower 5-6 GW growth rate per annum for the next two-three years, says Bridge to India.
India’s NTPC set to enter EV charging stations business
The National Thermal Power Corporation Ltd (NTPC), India’s largest power generation company, is seeking pan-India license to accelerate its electric vehicle charging stations business.
A*Star researchers develop technique for cheaper solar cell production
A*Star researchers, in a bid to find an alternative to silicon-based solar cells, are investigating a new material that is more cost-effective and easier to produce that could also lead to more efficient solar cells.
Interview: Floating PV is poised to make a splash, says SERIS
At the recent PV Taiwan event, pv magazine caught up with Lu Zhao, head of PV System Technology Group at the Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore (SERIS) to discuss the current potential of floating PV applications, and examine how hydropower coupled with floating solar could become a world-leading energy sector.
Dutch researchers unveil li-ion battery capable of 50% more energy
ECN spin-off LeydenJar has developed a lithium-ion pouch cell prototype that increases the storage capacity of rechargeable batteries by 50%. With these advances devices such as electric cars, smartphones, laptops and other battery-based products can enjoy longer durability, they claim.
Fortum says it is not exiting the Indian solar market
The Finnish utility has reiterated its commitment for the Indian PV market, after a media article had reported that the company is seeking to sell its solar assets in the country.
LONGi claims 22.71% PERC efficiency world record
Germany’s Fraunhofer ISE CalLab has confirmed that China’s Longi Green Energy Technology has achieved a record 22.71% conversion efficiency with its monocrystalline passivated emitter rear contact (PERC) solar cells.
